I'm thinking about getting one of the three following skis, can you guys give me a recommendation:

I want to buy in Vancouver and support some a local business...

I've been doing some research and visiting some local stores and this is what I narrowed down to:

1) Salomen Xwing Fury 170cm

2) Fischer Cold Heat (size haven't determined yet)

3) Fischer Watea 94 Skis 178cm

I ski at Whistler and usually look for powder, soft pack crud, steep slopes, and trees. I also enjoy doing moguls as well. I'm looking for a 50/50 ski. This will be my all around ski.

I am 5' 3", 175lbs and a level 7/8.

Can you give me advice on the above skis you'd recommend?

Thanks,

Maj

Watea 94 is a great ski.  Good on the groomers and in soft snow, easy to ski and forgiving.  I've owned it and others here also really like this ski.  Not a great bump ski, but ok in soft bumps.

Cold Heat is more of a wide carving ski, is pretty stiff, and won't be very useful in the bumps.  I haven't skied it, but others here have reviewed it.  Do a search and check out the reviews.

Xwing Fury, haven't skied it so I can't help you there.

Good luck with your search!

Watea 94 178cm - you'll love it! 

I wouldn't call the Watea a true 50/50, as it's a little lacking on super-hard snow, but it's the best soft-snow biased ski I have owned in recent years.  Excellent in powder and crud, and it rips surprisingly well on groomers. 

Sounds good, I've read great reviews on the Watea 94. The concern I have is their minimum lenght (178cm). I wanted a bit of a shorter ski for tightness and quick turns. Compared to the Fury which I can get at 170cm, would the 8cm extra on Watea be too much ski?

I am sking right now on a Beta Carver and it is at 177cm. However, it's too much ski, the skis I was demoing at Whistler where the Xenon 10.0. They were at 164cm and I liked the size. The lenght was good, very zippy in between the crud, bumps and trees.

Yeah, 178cm is too long for all-mountain in your case, but as a powder gun it would be awesome for someone your size.